Another view of Little Shell Wetland, from Beach Blvd.

Another view of the Little Shell wetland. It was once 2.2 acres (actually, all this area was part of the estuary of the Santa Ana River) where Ti'at (native Tongva boats) could be paddled up to the nearby encampment on high ground, now called "ORA-149" archaeological site, and about to be built on for another obscene mega-development. Little Shell probably provided clams, fish, bird eggs, and other sustenance to the Tonga and Acjachemen tribes in a living paradise. Crafty developers had gotten permissions ("entitlements") to put up very dense condos, and to fill what they called a ".7 acre de minimus" wetland -- that is, too small to count. Thanks to the campaign, led by Joey Racano and joined by Wetlands Action Network, CoastKeeper, League for Coastal Protection, Sierra Club, and California Earthcorps, the tiny wetland was saved. Ironically, the developer, who had been gifted with 22 acres of "free" land to induce the development, decided to expand Little Shell to about its original size of 2.2 acres not only for the beauty, but as a bio-swale to help solve the drainage problem for the 22 acre tract (visible in the background of the picture). Now, everyone is happy, especially the many birds, plants and animals who make this, and the nearby "Big Shell" wetland across Beach Blvd., their home in the midst of concrete and traffic. A small slice of the paradise once known by the Acjachemen (Juaneno) and Tongva (Gabrieleno).

Back to main menu?

Back to Index of Entries?